In the NBA there are famous debates on the Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James comparison. They are two of the best players the NBA has ever seen, Durant and James have built their legacies on the court. Durant is in his 16th year in the league and remains at the top of his game, while 38-year-old LeBron, in his 21st year still showing his dominance.
Durant’s career started in 2007 when he was drafted second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder). On the other hand, LeBron James was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Summary of wins:
Games Won | in Regular Season | in Playoffs | |
Kevin Durant | 15 | 6 | 9 |
LeBron James | 20 | 15 | 5 |
Both players have had to deal with a lot of comparisons and expectations since their respective entries into the league. Even though their career started four years apart, they have crossed paths many times, providing basketball enthusiasts with exciting matchups to remember. They last played on Christmas Day 2018, it was LeBron’s first season with the Lakers and Durant’s last with the Warriors.
LeBron James holds a commanding lead over Kevin Durant
James and Durant have faced off 35 times in the last 15 years. In these matches, Durant trails with a 15-20 record, although interestingly, he has a better playoff record of 9-5 against James. Both have almost similar scoring averages against one another.
Durant’s highest-scoring game against James came in Game 3 of the 2018 Finals, where he scored 43 points, leading the Golden State Warriors to a 102-110 victory over the Cavaliers. LeBron’s highest-scoring game against KD came in Game 1 of the same Finals series, scoring 51 points, but unfortunately, his team lost, with the Warriors securing a 124-114 win.
Name | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | FT% | 3P% | PTS High |
Kevin Durant | 29.8 | 7.3 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 50.8 | 88.8 | 41.9 | 43 points |
LeBron James | 29.6 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 51.8 | 75.1 | 34.3 | 51 points |
Kevin Durant vs Lebron James head to head playoff stats:
31.3 ppg 31.9 ppg
8.1 rpg 10.4 rpg
4.9 apg 9.1 apg55/43/91 52/32/78
9 wins 5 winsSome great duels between them🔥 pic.twitter.com/urrECzVvJE
— DurantMuse (@DurantMuse_) June 28, 2023
When it comes to their largest margins of victory against each other, both players defeated each other by 35 points. LeBron’s came in 2008, leading the Cavs to a 117-82 win over Durant’s Thunder. Almost 10 years later, Durant, as part of the Warriors, took his revenge by defeating James and the Cavs 126-91.
When we compare their head-to-head statistics, the picture becomes clearer. Durant has more numbers for his scoring and shooting skills. Whereas LeBron is better at passing, rebounding, and defending.
While the Durant vs. LeBron debate might never find a clear answer, their head-to-head matchups provide an interesting look into their different playing styles and strengths. Both have written their names in the books of NBA history, and their legacy continues to get stronger with each passing game.